The K-16 Education Center at The University of Texas at Austin is proud to announce its first class of high school graduates from a partnership with the Nam My Vietnamese American Private School in Vietnam.
This partnership was started in 2008 to offer a high school curriculum through K-16’s University of Texas Online High School (UTHS) to enable participating Vietnamese students to earn a U.S. diploma and more easily enroll in U.S. universities. In February, the first class of UTHS-Nam My students earned their high school diplomas. Their achievements were celebrated on Saturday, May 19, in a graduation ceremony on the Nam My campus.
The Nam My School is a private school consisting of Vietnamese students from diverse social and economic backgrounds. In addition to a full online high school curriculum, UTHS offers these students dual credit opportunities, guidance counseling and letters of recommendation for college entrance. Currently, there are more than 40 students from Nam My enrolled in UTHS.
“This success is a remarkable achievement for an institution outside the United States, especially in Vietnam where English is not a language that is spoken in the home,” says Gisela Greco-Llamas, director of the K-16 Education Center, which is part of the Division of Continuing and Innovative Education (CIE). The entire UTHS curriculum is presented in English, the first offering of its kind in Vietnam.
“The University of Texas Online High School provides a distinguished, high-quality curriculum that I am delighted to offer these students. It’s programs like this one that provide unique opportunities for students to receive an exceptional U.S. high school education through distance learning,” she said.
To receive their diplomas the graduates were required to pass the Exit-Level Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). All of the students passed the test on their first attempt. In addition, 25 percent of the students passed all four parts of the test (English language arts, math, science and social studies) with a “commended performance” citation. The remainder of the students passed with a “commended performance” citation for at least one part of the test.
“Technology has created increased globalization. CIE’s partnership with the Nam My school is at the forefront of our distance learning efforts to create an increased international presence for both our division and the entire university,” says Linda L. Glessner, executive director of CIE. “We continually strive to create a global dialogue about the importance of education and to meet the growing need for educational programs on an international scale. Providing access to high-quality educational opportunities to anyone from anywhere is what we do every day in CIE.”
Fully accredited by the Texas Education Agency, the UTHS was authorized by the Texas State Board of Education in 1998 to provide distance learners with a high school curriculum and to award diplomas. The program offers more than 48 online courses in English, social studies, mathematics, science, foreign languages, health, computer applications, physical education, economics and electives. Students of UTHS include students with professional careers, students being home-schooled, students in remote or foreign locations, students who are older than traditional students, students who want to accelerate their education, and students seeking more independence in their educational choices.
In addition to the Nam My School, CIE has a similar partnership with Amicitia, a private, non-profit school in Morocco.
About Continuing and Innovative Education:
The Division of Continuing and Innovative Education (CIE) provides a wide range of credit and noncredit courses, services and programs that encompass K-16 academics, online college and professional development courses, professional certificate programs and personal enrichment opportunities.
